Efforts to obstruct the health law are unpatriotic

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Last week Republican Party Senate leader Mitch McConnell sent warning letters to national sports leagues threatening them with repercussions if they dare to help the Obama administration educate the public about upcoming changes in health care insurance requirements ("GOP Warns Sports Leagues," June 29). This was in response to what in my mind is a very responsible action taken by the Department of Health and Human Services -- enlisting the sports world to disseminate essential information about the new health care law. It is nothing less than the duty of DHS to inform as many people as possible about their options and obligations with respect to health insurance.

Sen. McConnell, nevertheless, had the gall to send a letter to all major sports leagues suggesting that helping the administration could be viewed as "political," implying the leagues may lose the support of wealthy contributors and sponsors. Threatening sports leagues because they might help the new health care law succeed can only be seen as the most outrageous and purely political pressure. What other explanation can there be? This is the height of hypocrisy and fear-mongering.

Voters should remember this kind of vengeful obstructionism as un-American and unpatriotic behavior not worthy of our elected officials.

Like it or not, health care delivery in this country is going to change, must change. Honest Americans and responsible citizens should ask what can be done to help do a better job as a nation in caring for all Americans. We should work together to implement what works and change what doesn't. Of course, that kind of cooperation for the sake of the nation might just be too "political" for the Republicans.